Former Watsonville mayor seeks seat on PV school board;

WATSONVILLE -- Antonio Rivas points to eight years on the City Council and 35 years in public education as assets in his bid for a seat on the Pajaro Valley Unified School District board of trustees.

If elected, the 65-year-old Rivas says he'd tap that experience to foster partnerships between the district and governmental agencies and the business community to ensure students are prepared for college and careers.

Rivas is competing for the Trustee Area VI seat against 24-year-old Maria Orozco, a former Pajaro Valley student and a 2010 Santa Clara University graduate now working as a financial aid adviser at UC Santa Cruz.

"People know me," said Rivas, who served two one-year terms as mayor during his time on the council. "If they want a person with experience and knowledge of education and a person they can trust, they will vote for me."

Rivas, who in June came in a distant third in a five-way race to replace Ellen Pirie on the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors, said as a councilman he learned to deal with critical issues also faced by school district leaders, such as budgets and labor contracts.

He also said his knowledge of the city will come in handy as the district seeks ways to make the best of local resources during times of tight budgets. Perhaps, for example, city Parks and Neighborhood Services could do more to help with after-school tutoring. He'd look for similar opportunities through partnerships with county departments.

"I can be able to be the link because I know a lot of these programs and how they work," he said.

Rivas said business owners have told him they often can't hire locally because residents lack the necessary training. He said he'd work to ensure the city and district are moving in the same direction as hoped-for jobs materialize at a planned business park so young people "can stay here instead of going somewhere else."

He also wants to see the district develop a master plan for parent education.

Rivas supports Measure L, the district's $150 million school bond proposal on the Nov. 6 ballot, and would advocate for green building if it passes "so we can save a lot of money energy-wise."

Born in Mexico, Rivas attended schools in Texas and Fresno. He worked as a teacher at Mintie White Elementary and as a counselor at Rolling Hills Middle School before taking a job in Salinas. At Alisal High School, he works with at-risk students. He also coached girl's softball at Rolling Hills and previously volunteered with Little League. He serves on the city library board.

WHO: Candidate for Pajaro Valley Unified School District board of trusteesAGE: 65OCCUPATION: High school counselorEDUCATION: Bachelor's degree in industrial arts and master's degree in counseling, San Diego State FAMILY: Wife Mariza, three grown childrenCONTACT: 588-9973 or arivas4747@aol.com